Project Blue Light

Honor Fallen Police Officers - Support America's Peacekeepers

Project Blue Light began more than 20 years ago, in 1988, when Dolly Craig, the surviving mother-in-law of Daniel Gleason, a Philadelphia, PA police officer killed in the line of duty in 1986, sent a letter to COPS (Concerns of Police Survivors: a non-profit organization that assists families of officers killed in the line of duty). Dolly's daughter, Gleason's widow, was also killed in a car crash in 1988. In her letter to COPS, Dolly wrote, "This holiday I'm putting two blue lights in my living room window. One is for Dan and the other is for Pam, who believed so much in the COPS Organization."

Project Blue Light

Dolly Craig has since passed away, but her idea became a legacy. Project Blue Light now "burns bright in the hearts of nearly 12,000 surviving families who comprise COPS."

Each year during the holiday season, COPS asks citizens and law enforcement agencies to support Project Blue Light. It could be a single blue light in the candlestick replicas in your window, a porch light, or an entire decorating theme in blue to show your support for our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in serving and protecting their communities. It also displays our thanks to those men and women in blue who continue to serve our communities 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and our hope that they return home safely at the end of the day.

The color blue is symbolic of peace. Please join the Brainerd Police Department in honoring all Law Enforcement Officers by displaying your blue lights during the holiday season. This display will give a dual message - that you support America's Peacekeepers and that you hope the New Year will be a year of peace!

Remember to display your blue lights during the holiday season to honor all law enforcement officers.

2009 Blue Light Ceremony

This photo was taken at the 2009 Minnesota Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors (MN C.O.P.S.) annual Blue Light Ceremony at the Law Enforcement Memorial in St. Paul, Minnesota. The annual service is in remembrance of officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, as well as to express appreciation and support to those currently providing law enforcement and public safety through the holiday season as well as throughout the year. The service is for family, co-workers, friends, and public safety officers (police/sheriff/state patrol/DNR).